Summery sunny hot days in England, you just can't beat them. Last summer was crazy for us going away a lot in June and July and house renovating {we didn't move in until late August last year!} so we didn't have much time to enjoy England at her very best. This summer though, with the house almost finished, a heatwave and staying home for a while, we've been making more time for summer day trips. I have so much to blog at the moment but just not enough time {and when the sun shines, I always make no apology for not staying in on my laptop as much in the summer months}. But I know that I want to look back on these day trips and photos so I'll start with our day out to Mottisfont National Trust rose gardens, the most famous in the country, and an evening in Winchester - we hadn't been before. Photos and a little diary below if you'd like to see; {next up, Brighton, West Wittering Beach and Marlow}. Where are your favourite places in the summer? It can feel like a mini holiday if you plan it right.

I've had a mini countryman on loan for a month, more on that to come, so we took her for a roadtrip! We left after lunch and headed to Mottisfont down in Hampshire. Passing this insanely gorgeous cottage in Stockbridge on the way. 

I love discovering new places and we'd never driven through Hampshire before. Such a gorgeous area especially at the end of May/beginning of June. We were on our way to Mottisfont National Trust gardens for the famous rose gardens, a lot of the varieties there are very old and bloom only once per year at the end of May so we decided to visit whilst they were at their peak. It was such a gorgeous day too, not as hot as it has been this week but early 20s and not a cloud in the sky. It's no secret that Ben and I love everything horticultural with our garden and allotment so we love a good English cottage garden. This one scored extra points for being walled 😍. I bought Ben a National Trust membership for his Birthday last year so we're trying to make the most of it this summer.

Arriving in the afternoon Mottisfont was packed {it was half term and also that famous two week rose period} so we had a long wait to park but it was so worth it. We headed straight for the rose garden and bought an ice cream {stem ginger flavour, so good} to eat in the outer walls. Even this area with the cafe was ridiculously beautiful filled with foxgloves and roses. 

Refreshed and ready to go we went inside the walls. 

Hands down the most beautiful garden we've ever been to.

The planting was just perfection. 

Roses upon roses and lots of crumbly old walls.

So full yet so neat and orderly.

Dress online here.

HEAVEN. I want to use these to plan some of our borders for next year. I guess Mottisfont have a huge team of gardeners and plants that are hundreds of years old.

White foxgloves. Love.

PEONIES.

This bench!

After we'd seen, and smelt, enough of the roses we walked across the grounds to find the main house and river.

Such a gorgeous setting. I wish we'd have had more time but we wanted to get to Winchester before the shops shut. Next year we'll spend a full day here with a picnic I think.

S u m m e r .

Shepherd's Hut anybody?

The drive to Winchester was through more gorgeous countryside. That green and blue, so English.

Neither of us had been to Winchester before but it's always been on our list after hearing lots of good things about the old market town. It was beautiful with the famous cathedral, cobbled streets and mix of shops. We loved the Hambledon.

Interior goals.

We stumbled across a market that was just closing up so we got bagfuls of cherries, strawberries and raspberries being sold off cheap!

We have a Tastecard so whilst there were so many restaurants to choose from, because it was a Thursday the lure of Zizzis and the 2 for 1 deal was too strong to resist. Especially as this Zizzi's was in an old barn building.

We shared one of their lobster raviolis on special and a polpette rustica pizza. Our fav.

Before this brownie of all brownies filled with salted caramel and topped with white chocolate. So bad but so good. And a bargain with tastecard for such a delicious dinner.

It was such a gorgeous evening when we came out from dinner that we didn't want to leave straight away. We walked around to the cathedral with our cherries.

One of those magical summer evenings I want to remember forever. I love summer dates with my husband.

These old gates and walls! 

And such gorgeous old properties.

Oh summer! Have you been to Mottisfont or Winchester? Where's your favourite place for a summer date?

R <3 xx